May 13, 1999 World Edition A Very Young Church Trials and Triumphs of Adventism in Mongolia That Outfit Called the Church Taking the Plunge Mahem at Midday LETTERS President Paulsen and the decline of personal Bible study. Testaments. I can heartily recommend Thank you for your comprehensive this method of obtaining a reading coverage of the tran- —Steve Riehle knowledge of a new language because sition we have expe- S ANTA M ARIA, CALIFORNIA the pace at which one progresses allows rienced in world the message to sink in. church leadership. You have been quick As a member of the Trans-European —Eleanor S. Johnson to report the facts Division, where Jan Paulsen was presi- C OLLEGE P LACE, WASHINGTON and evenhanded in dent before 1995, I am very proud of reporting the situa- his election. tion that the church and Elder Just a question: In communication I enjoyed reading about Matthew Folkenberg had to confront. We partic- from the General Conference and in Mark-Luke Johnson very much. Please ularly enjoyed William G. Johnsson’s the Review, it is stated that Paulsen is keep the Give & Take page going. It’s interview with Elder Paulsen (see “‘An the first European president. But during my favorite page, next to Letters to Open Person’—Pastor Jan Paulsen,” the 1888 General Conference session the Editor. March 11 World Edition) and the sam- we elected Ole Andres Olsen, who was pling of “World Voices.” born in Skogen, Norway, and served —Ted R. Chadwick Ed had the pleasure of briefly meet- nine years (1888-1897). When he was G ASTON, OREGON ing Elder Paulsen during the summer elected president, he was in Scandinavia of 1994 at Cambridge University in supervising the work there. England. We were attending meetings Practical Faith of the C. S. Lewis Foundation called —Richard Elofer, PRESIDENT Regarding Calvin Rock’s comment “Cambridge ’94—Creation and I SRAEL F IELD that, during the time of trouble, “per- Cosmos: Chance or Dance.” It means haps there are some hideouts so remote a great deal to have as leader of our O. A. Olsen came to America at age 5. and so secure that they will provide church a person of such broad inter- He grew up, spent most of his life, and safety for those who plan ahead” (see ests—spiritually and intellectually. We died in America.—Editors. Faith Alive! March 11). Probably no are praying for him in his new such safety will be available. appointment. Ellen White agrees more closely with Transcribing the Gospel the latter part of Rock’s response when —Edwin and Marilyn Karlow I wish we had had the insight to name she says: “It is contrary to the Bible to R IVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA our fourth child Matthew Mark-Luke make any provision for our temporal Johnson, as did David and Gail (see wants in the time of trouble” (Last Day Give & Take, March 11). Events, p. 264). She then describes the President Jan Paulsen may have been The most rewarding summer I ever sad end of any food or real estate owned thinking as an administrator when he spent was in Miami, Florida, where I by God’s people at that time, and it’s identified the greatest issue facing the copied the four Gospels (longhand) in safe to assume that generators and simi- church as “its internationality.” Far Spanish, looking up each word I did not lar paraphernalia will meet the same greater issues facing our church, I suggest, understand. I had already copied the Old fate. A remote location for these items are the instability of the Seventh-day Testament in an effort to learn the lan- doesn’t seem to make any difference. Adventist nuclear family and an atten- guage. I spent an hour a day transcribing dant high divorce rate, high percentages La Santa Biblia, and it took two and a —Bill Ludwig of young people abandoning the church, half years to do both the Old and New A UBURN, WASHINGTON 2 (618) ADVENTIST REVIEW, MAY 13, 1999 Jesus Not European Clarifying the Language The Adventist Review has, in sketch “Learning the Language” (Feb. 18) is a after sketch and portrait after portrait, good idea—and a good start in helping depicted Jesus as European. The Bible new Adventists know the “lingo” and record indicates that He was born in cautioning old Adventists about the Palestine, reared partly in Palestine terms we use. Two suggestions to con- COVER STORY (Asia) and partly in Egypt (Africa). A sider in future lists: search of His family tree, as recorded in 1. Please put the explanations in simple 8 A Very Young Church Progress has been slow, but it’s Matthew and Luke, does not reveal language. I have pastored several dis- still progress. anyone from Europe. Furthermore, His tricts. Yes, they have been close to or BY D ALE T UNNELL AND B ILL K NOTT ancestry is very interesting in that it in the boondocks. But words such as includes incest, harlotry, and foreigners. “quinquennial” and “administrative ARTICLES Recently you printed an apology for subsection of the denomination” and depicting Ruth, an ancestor of Jesus, as “triennial” can be simplified. With 14 That Outfit Called the European. When is the same going to greater simplicity people will have a Church be done for Jesus? greater understanding, and your words Sure, it’s often ineffective, but it’s will have more punch. still the best thing going. BY L ESLIE N. POLLARD —Linbrook Barker 2. Clarify “celebration churches.” R IVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA This may be my “own thing,” but in 22 “I Yam What I Yam” my understanding a “celebration” The question is What do we do now? Jesus was a Jew. We try to find art- church is one in which modern music BY T HELMA H OEHN work that portrays Him as a Middle from our culture is used in worship and Easterner.—Editors. their foundational theology is contrary 24 Ellen White’s Disturbing to the basic Adventist message. Their Disclaimer of 1904 What she really said—and what theology includes the following Satellite Program it means. unmentioned tenets: BY R OGER W. C OON Congratulations! Your Battle Creek a. The Sabbath is downplayed. weekend program (“Faith Stories That b. Ellen White is questioned. 28 Taking the Plunge Connect,” uplinked March 27) was c. The pastors teach that victory Years of preparation are about to tremendous! Even though I could not over sin is impossible. yield their results. BY J UDY L. SHULL be there in person, I was blessed by d. The only judgment for Christians being able to see the downlink “live” is that at the cross. DEPARTMENTS on 3ABN. I was overjoyed to be e. They do away with the investiga- “transported” to Battle Creek and to tive judgment—it supposedly nullifies 2 Letters be able to enjoy the entire program grace. 7 Give & Take from my home. It was very well done, f. Their message is the message of 13 Bible Questions Answered TANFIELD and I did enjoy the segment with salvation and celebrating. The three Mark Finley immensely. angels’ messages are an embarrassing 17 Faith Alive! L. S And thank you for mentioning denominational heritage. AMES 18 World News & Perspectives / J Adventist Heritage Ministry. g. The pastors teach and model a 29 Adventist World Radio Heritage evangelism is a viable purely congregational understanding of 30 Reflections OLLECTION means of nurture and outreach min- the “church.” C istry. This is true at each of our his- On the other hand, a local church MAGE toric Adventist sites, but especially that modifies worship to include more EDITORIALS I so at Battle Creek because of the members, includes a wider range of OCIETY potential for hundreds of thousands music, worships God, praises Jesus, 5 Mayhem at Midday S of visitors. The preservation and pro- upholds the Scriptures, and preaches 6 Who Said It? motion of our unique Adventist her- the three angels’ messages wouldn’t, in EOGRAPHIC itage uplifts God to volunteers and to my opinion, be a “celebration” church. NEXT WEEK G tourists alike and has already resulted These stay in the Seventh-day in changed lives. Adventist Church. Don’t Adventists Use the Bible ATIONAL Anymore? © N —Alice R. Voorheis —Dave Miller, pastor We used to be known as “people of the Book.” Are we still? A DVENTIST H ERITAGE M INISTRY N EW W INDSOR, MARYLAND OVER PHOTO S ILVER S PRING, MARYLAND C ADVENTIST REVIEW, MAY 13, 1999 (619) 3 “Behold, I come quickly . .” Our mission is to uplift Jesus Christ through stories of His matchless love, news of His present workings, help for knowing Him better, and hope in His soon return. Publisher General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Executive Publisher William G. Johnsson Associate Publisher Charlotte McClure Publishing Board: Phil Follett, vice-chair; Lowell Cooper; William G. Johnsson; Robert E. Lemon; A. C. McClure; Ardis D. Stenbakken, Donald R. Sahly; Ted N. C. Wilson; Robert Nixon, legal advisor Editor William G. Johnsson Associate Editors Roy Adams, Bill Knott Managing Editor Myrna Tetz News Editor Carlos Medley Assistant Editors Stephen Chavez, Andy Nash Editorial Assistant Ella Rydzewski Administrative Secretary Chitra Barnabas Editorial Secretary Jean Sequeira Art Director Bill Kirstein Designer Bill Tymeson Design Assistant/Production Stephanie Kaping Ad Sales Genia Blumenberg Subscriber Services Steve Hanson Consulting Editors: G. Ralph Thompson, Matthew Bediako, Phil Follett, Robert J. Kloosterhuis, A. C. McClure, Jan Paulsen, Leo Ranzolin, R. L. Rawson, Calvin B. Rock Special Contributors: P. D. Chun, L. T. Daniel, L. J. Evans, Ulrich Frikart, Lee Huff, Israel Leito, Ruy H.